Saturday, September 29, 2012

Northern Flicker

On any walk near a wooded area, you are likely to startle a
Northern Flicker from the ground.You’ll
recognize it flying away by its white rump and colored wing patches.

The Northern Flicker is a large woodpecker that prefers foraging
on the ground for ants and grubs, unlike most other woodpeckers that peck at
decaying trees for insects.

The Northern Flicker is a short distance migrant.This small group could have been heading
south for the winter as they rested in Lake Park, Milwaukee, but they could
have been year-round residents, too.

These are the yellow-shafted variant of
Northern Flickers.

There is a red-shafted variant also in the western United
States.I found this one at the
Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson, Arizona last January.

You’ll most likely notice the Northern Flicker after he
noticed you first and flew away, but watch where he lands to see if you can get
a better look at this beautiful bird.